First- and second-year communication classes play an important part in a student's first year of college, a year that is critical to student success because it helps students develop "the college student role" (Collier and Morgan 425). One group of first-year students at risk for struggling with developing "the college student…

There is much concern regarding the underachievement of gifted students. Gifted students have the potential to make outstanding contributions to society. The present study analyzed the perceptions of teachers, principals, and one director of gifted education of gifted 4th and 5th grade students in the area of reading and explored constructs of…

A key factor in mentoring effectiveness and satisfaction is ensuring that mentor preparation training and ongoing support address needed mentor knowledge and abilities (MKAs). Knowing how to mentor is different from knowing what mentoring involves or knowing mentoring policies and procedures. Ideally, mentor training incorporates both the…

The next generation of computer-based learning environments has arrived. This generation of technology is characterized by mobile and portable devices such as smartphones and tablet computers with wireless broadband access. With these devices comes the promise of extending the online learning revolution. The purpose of this study was to…

Adolescents and young adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) must develop self-efficacy and disease-management skills to transition successfully to adult medical care. This quantitative study explored whether self-efficacy, age, and gender were predictive of transition readiness of adolescents with SCD from pediatric to adult medical care.…

The practice of health self-management offers behavioral and problem-solving strategies that can effectively promote responsibility for one's own wellbeing, improve one's health outcomes, and decrease the cost of health services. Personal informatics applications support health self-management by allowing their users to easily track…

The Multidimensional Model for Coping with Bullying (MMCB; Parris, in development) was conceptualized based on a literature review of coping with bullying and by combining relevant aspects of previous models. Strategies were described based on their focus (problem-focused vs. emotion-focused) and orientation (avoidance, approach-self,…

Background: According to data reported by the World Health Organization Depression is a common disorder, affecting about 121 million people worldwide. The Centers for Disease Control report in the US an estimated 10% of the general population will experience a depressive episode in a given year. Delay in diagnosis and subsequent delay in treatment…

In the United States, there are approximately 400,000 foster youth. The state of California accounts for approximately 20% percent of youth placed in the foster care system. As a whole, this population is exposed to a multitude of risk factors while placed in the foster care system and as they emancipate. Re-victimization is not uncommon as youth…

As the world is experiencing unprecedented changes and challenges, it is essential to develop educational approaches that enable current and future leaders to be effective in meeting them. To do so, education must foster transformation of the learner to achieve an inclusive, dynamic, and flexible approach to life. This dissertation involved a case…

To attain academic goals, school personnel must effectively manage 20% of students who engage in the disruptive behaviors that interrupt instruction, create teacher stress, and contribute to poor student outcomes. Without effective strategies, school personnel often respond to disruptive students with ineffective authoritarian tactics,…

Many adolescent disruptive youth in Pennsylvania are removed from traditional school settings for externalizing behaviors including aggression, defying authority, poor relationships with peers and adults, disruptive behaviors, and bullying. Post-school outcomes of adolescent disruptive youth remain dismal, and these students are the most…

Persuasive technology (PT) has the potential to support individuals to perform self-management and social support as a part of health behavior change. This has led a few researchers in the intersection of the areas of health behavior change and software engineering to apply behavior change and persuasion theories to software development practices,…

This dissertation explored the effects of within-school consultation provided by mentors (i.e., veteran teachers) on new teachers' specific praise rates during teacher-directed instruction. Specific praise is an empirically-supported classroom management strategy associated with increases in desired academic and social student outcomes when…

Mathematics education currently emphasizes engaging students in mathematical modeling to understand problems of everyday life and society (Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), 2010; English & Sriraman, 2010; Lesh & Zawojewski, 2007). The Common Core State Standards for mathematics also stress that high school students should…